Concentrator.



PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. P. M. DILLON & W. G. WILSON.

CONCENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1320.21.1903.

" ab/a zflwa vwavvfoz 5 No. 778,847. PATENTED JAN.3,1905. F. M. DILLON &W. G. WILSON.

CONCENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.21.1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 QWMQMQM @%!W% 0 UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OEEIcE.

FREDERICK M. DILLON AND WYLIE G. WILSON, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,847,

dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed December 21, 1903. Serial No. 186,107.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK M. DILLON, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and VVYLIE G. WILsoN, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, both residing in the city and county of Denver and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inConcentrators; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, referencebeing had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in concentrators or machines moreespecially intended for the treatment of pulverized ores for the purposeof saving. their metallic values. The valuable product obtained throughthe instrumentality of machines of this class is known as concentrates.

Our present invention belongs to that class of machines in which thetable is laterally inclined, its lower longitudinal edge being thegangue-discharge edge or the edge over which the gangue or worthlessportion of the material passes after having traveled across the tabletransversely, while the concentrates are discharged from the tail end ofthe table or the extremity remote from the feed end or what is termedthe head of the table. The material to be treated is discharged into afeed-box at the upper left-hand corner of the table referring to Figure1 of the drawings. VVash-water may be delivered at the upper edge of thetable, as may be required; but as there is nothing new about thisfeature no means is shown in the drawings for supplying wash-water.

Furthermore, our improvement belongs to the class ofconcentrating-tables which are mounted to reciprocate or vibratelongitudinally or in the direction of the travel of the concentrates,the movement being imparted by suitable mechanism connected at oneextremity of the table, being the head thereof, as shown in Fig. 1 ofthe accompanying drawlngs.

erence character B.

Having briefly outlined the general construction as well as the functionof the class of machines to which our invention belongs, we will proceedto describe the same in detail and subsequently point out in the claimswhat webelieve to be novel.

In the accompanying drawings. Fig. l is a top or plan view of ourimproved concentrator. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken through themachine on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.Figs. 3, 4:, 5, and 6-illustrate the different constructions of rifiieemployed in connection with our improved machine.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let A designate the body of the concentrating-talole, which is providedwith depending parts A, which slidably engage supports A permitting thetable to reciprocate longitudinally or in the direction of its length.As

shown in the drawings, the body A is covered on its upper surface by alayer A of corrugated material, the corrugations extending lengthwisethereof. This part A may be composed of rubberor any other suitablematerial. When composed of rubber, it is preferred to form the severalgroups of riffles employed integral with the said part A whereby thetable top or covering A will consist of an integral device.

The top of our improved table is equipped with a number of groups ofriflles longitudinally arranged, the individual riflies of the variousgroups being parallel with each other. The space between these groups ofriflies is greater than the space between the individual rifl'les. Thesegroups of riffles will be designated as B, O, and D. As shown in thedrawings, the group B consists of three riffies, which are individuallydesignated by the ref- The individual riflies of the group O arerespectively designated C, while the riffles of the group D aredesignated D, D and D", respectively. All of these riffies project abovethe corrugated surface of the tables top. The groups of riflies B and Oare exactly alike, one of these riflies being shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawings. These riffies B and G are highest at the head of the table orat their left-hand extremity, referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, fromwhich extremity they taper downwardly to a point E, which is a shortdistance from their rear extremities or from the tail end of the tablewhen the rifles are in place. From this point E to the rear extremity ofeach of these riffles the rifle is of uniform height, but comparativelylow, projecting only slightly above the corrugated face of the table.The group B of rifles is located on the upper part of the table, theterm upper having relation to the table when transversely inclined. Thegroup C of rifles is located in the central portion of the table, whilethe group D of rifles is located in the vicinity of its ganguedischargeedge or the lower edge of the table when transversely inclined. All ofthese riffles extend the entire length of the table.

Each rifle of the group D of rifles is highest at the head end -of thetable and tapers downwardly or decreases in height to points E, E and Eor about two-thirds the length of the rifles measured from the head ofthe table toward the foot or tail thereof, while from these points thesaid rifles increase in height toward their rear extremities. The pointE of the rifle D is nearest the head of the table as compared with thecorresponding points of the rifles D and D The point E of the rifle D isa very short distance farther from the head of the tablethan the point Eof the rifle D, while the point E of the rifle D is slightly fartherfrom the head of the table than the point E of the rifle D The portionsof the rifles D, D and D at the right of the points E, E and E varysomewhat in height, the said portion of the rifle D being lowest, thecorresponding portion of the rifle D somewhat lower, and thecorresponding portion of the rifle D lowest. The rifle D is located atthe gangue-discharge edge of the table. The rifle D is next above, andthe rifle D is the farthest of the group D from the gangue-dischargeedge of the table. The rear extremities of the riffles of the group Dare upwardly curved at the tail of the table in order to facilitate thesaving of the concentrates.

When the apparatus is in use, the recipro cating movement or vibratoryaction of the table is imparted by suitable mechanism H, connected withthe head of the table and composed of a shaft H, a cam H an abutment H",connected with the table by rods H and a spring H interposed between thetable and a stationary part H. A fly-wheel H is connected at one end ofthe cam-shaft and a pulley H at the opposite extremity. The operatingmechanism is not described in extreme detail, since nothing is claimedthereon specifically in this application. The material to be treated isdischarged into the feed-box J,

located at the upper head end of the table, and passes therefrom to thecorrugated surface of the table provided with the groups of rifles, asheretofore explained. As the table is actuated or given thereciprocating or vibratory movement the material thus fed to the tablein the form of pulp travels transversely downwardly and simultaneouslyrear- Wardly toward the tail of the table, with the result that thegangue or valueless portion of the ore, which is lighter than theconcentrates or metallic values, is carried transversely downwardly anddischarged over the lower edge of the table, while the concentrates arecaused to travel rearwardly and discharged at the tail end of the table.The peculiar construction and arrangement of the rifle groups, asheretofore explained, result in a high percentage of saving of thevalues contained in the ores, as has been demonstrated in actualpractice.

By arranging the rifles in groups and leaving a greater space betweenthe groups than between the individual rifles of a group we obtain areasover which the wash-water flows with less disturbance than in thoseplaces where the surface is obstructed by rifles. These comparativelyundisturbed spaces intermediate the rifle groups give the finer mineralparticles an opportunity to stratify on the corrugatedconcentrating-face of the table, whereby these fine mineral particlestake their place underneath the gangue, which position protects themfrom being carried off by the wash-water. Rifles are placed on the table in order to check the travel of the heavy gangue, which travel whenunobstructed would carry a large portion of the values with it over thegangue-discharge side of the table. The group of rifles at thegangue-discharge side of the table is made comparatively high for thewhole length of the table in order to stop such portion of the mineralas has come that distance with the wash-water from being carried offwith the gangue. This group of rifles is made higher at the dischargeend of the table and inclined or bent upwardly toward the feed edge ofthe table on which the wash-water is poured for the following reasons;The light gangue is carried off by the wash-water near the feed end ofthe table. The heavy gangue and some of the lighter mineral valuestravel in a diagonal direction along the table and strike the last orlowest group' of rifles at about the point at which we begin to makethis group higher and incline or bend them transversely upwardly towardthe feed or wash-water edge of the table. If this group of rifles werestraight and tapered like the other groups, the fine mineral would becarried into the gangue discharge by the heavy gangue, or the heavygangue, with the fine mineral, would be carried over the end or tail ofthe table with the concentrates or values and into the trough therefor,both of which results are undesirable. By making the rifles higher atthis point this heavy gangue is prevented from traveling over the sideof the table at the tail end thereof and carrying the fine mineral withit, and this heavy gangue is washed back from the tail end of the tableby the action of the original wash-water engaging the high inwardly orupwardly inclined part of the rifles in this group. VVash-water is usedin connection with all tables of this class. This wash-water stops thetravel of the heavy gangue toward the tail of thetable, of which ganguethere is at this point a considerable thickness, so that the wash-waterhas com.

paratively little effect on the fine mineral below the gangue. Theresult is that the gangue is checked in its travel toward the end of thetable and is made to travel first back and then over thegangue-discharge edge of the table at some distance forward of the tailthereof, while the line mineral values continue their travel along therifle whose upward inclination carries the fine mineral away from thegangue-discharge side of the table and deposits it safely in thevalues-trough at the end of the table.

The object of the peculiar arrangement of the group of rifles at thegangue-discharge edge of the table, particularly the arrangement andconstruction at the tail end of the gangue-discharge edge, as heretoforeintimated, is to separate the heavy gangue from the fine mineral values,which in all concentrating-tables collect at this point. This is wherethe greatest loss takes place in concentrators. The construction andarrangement of rifles herein shown greatly lessens this loss, as hasbeen demonstrated by actual practice.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is l. A concentratingtable provided with rifles running the whole length of the table, thetable having a motion to cause the concentrates to travel in thedirection of the rifles and being open to permit the discharge of theconcentrates at the rear extremities of the rifles, the said riflesbeing arranged in groups, the spaces between the groups of rifles beinggreater than the space between the rifles in any group.

2. A concentrating-table having a corrugated surface provided withgroups of rifles running the whole length of the table, the spacesbetween the groups of rifles being considerably greater than the spacebetween the rifles in any group.

3. A concentrating-table provided with a corrugated surface with groupsof rifles running the whole length of the table, one of the said groupsbeing located at the gangue-discharge side or edge of the table, thesaid lastna med group being high at the feed end of the table, taperingdownwardly for about twothirds of their length, and then gradually rising again at the concentrates-discharge end or tail of the table.

4:. A concentrating-table having a corrugated surface provided withgroups of rifles running the whole length of the table, one of the riflegroups being located adjacent the gangue-discharge edge or surface ofthe table, the individual rifles of the last-named group, beingrelatively high at the feed end of the table, from which point theytaper downwardly for about two -thirds of their length, and thengradually rise until the concentrates-discharge end or tail of the tableis reached, the rifles of the other groups being high at the feed end ofthe table, tapering for the greater part of their length toward theconcentrates-discharge end of the table, from which point they areparallel to the concentrates-discharge end of the table.

5. A transversely-inclined concentratingtable having a corrugatedsurface provided with three groups of rifles extending the whole lengthof the table, one group being located adjacent the upper edge of thetable, another group adjacent the lower edge of the table, and a thirdgroup intermediately located, the space between the three groups beingconsiderably greater than the space between the individual rifles of anygroup.

6. A transversely-inclined, longitudinallyreciprocatingconcentratingtable provided with a corrugated surface and having threegroups of rifles longitudinally disposed thereon, one group of riflesbeing located adjacent the upper edge of the table, another groupadjacent the lower edge of the table, and a third group intermediatelylocated, the individual rifles of the upper group and the middle group,being highest at the head of the table and tapering downwardly thegreater portion of their length where the taper ceases and from whichpoint they continue parallel to the tail or rear extremity of the table;while the individual rifles of the third group of rifles, are highest atthe head of the table and taper downwardly to a point about twothirds oftheir length from the head of the table, from which point each riflegradually increases in height to the tail or rear extremity of the tableand are slightly curved or bent upwardly, the rifle of this groupnearest the gangue-discharge edge of the table being highest at its tailextremity and the corresponding portion of the other rifles of thisgroup decreasing in height as they recede from the gangue-discharge edgeof the table.

7. A transversely-inclined, longitudinallyreciprocatingconcentrating-table provided with longitudinally-disposed riflesextending the entire length thereof, a nrimber of the riflles adjacentthe lower or gangue-discharge edge of the table being turned upwardly atthe tail or concentrates-discharge end of the table the saidupwardly-bent rifiles, increasing in height from the point where theupward bend begins, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we afliX our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICK M. DILLON. WYLIE G. WVILSON. Witnesses:

DENA NELSON, A. J. OBRIEN.

